۞ Surely, in Joseph and his brothers there are signs for the inquirers. 7 When they said: Verily Joseph and his brother are dearer to our father than we are, many though we be. Lo! our father is in plain aberration. 8 (One said): Kill Joseph or cast him to some (other) land, so that your father's favour may be all for you, and (that) ye may afterward be righteous folk. 9 Said one of them: "Slay not Joseph, but if ye must do something, throw him down to the bottom of the well: he will be picked up by some caravan of travellers." 10 They said: O our father! Why wilt thou not trust us with Joseph, when lo! we are good friends to him? 11 Send him with us tomorrow to play with us and enjoy himself. We shall carefully protect him". 12 He said: Lo! in truth it saddens me that ye should take him with you, and I fear less the wolf devour him while ye are heedless of him. 13 They said: Surely if the wolf should devour him notwithstanding that we are a (strong) company, we should then certainly be losers. 14 So, when they took him away, they all agreed to throw him down to the bottom of the well, and We inspired in him:"Indeed, you shall (one day) inform them of this their affair, when they know (you) not." 15 And they came to their father in the early part of the night weeping. 16 They said: O our father! surely we went off racing and left Yusuf by our goods, so the wolf devoured him, and you will not believe us though we are truthful. 17 and they produced his tunic with false blood upon it. [But Jacob] exclaimed: "Nay, but it is your [own] minds that have made [so terrible] a happening seem a matter of little account to you! But [as for myself,] patience in adversity is most goodly [in the sight of God]; and it is to God [alone] that I pray to give me strength to bear the misfortune which you have described to me." 18 A caravan came by and sent their water carrier out to the well. When he drew out Joseph in his bucket, he shouted, "Glad news, a young boy!" The people of the caravan hid him amongst their belongings. God knows well what they do. 19 Then they sold him for a paltry price, a handful of counted dirhams; for they set small store by him. 20